Releasable airplane chair with parachute



Aug. 12, 1958 i B. SRIBNY 2,847,174

RELEASABLE AIRPLANE CHAIR wmx PARACHUTE Filed Oct. 2a, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 60/104 JR/a/YX 40' BY drum/v57 Aug. 12, 1958 B.-'SRIB NY 2,847,174

' RELEASABLE AIRPLANE CHAIR WITH PARACHUTE Filed 001;. 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 306 fies j 7 74 7a m 'INVENTOR.

United States Patent RELEASABL'E AIRPIJANE CHAIR WITH PARACHUTE Bohdan Sribny, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 23, 1956, Serial No. 617,864

Claims. (Cl. 244-141) My invention relates to safety seats or chairs for airplanes.

My invention relates more particularly to passenger seats or chairs for airplanes which when necessary can be released from attachment to the floor and dropped from the plane with occupants, each chair being provided with its individual parachute that will be automatically opened, thereby effecting a safe descent of the chair and occupant.

While passenger planes today carry no individual para-v chutes for each passenger, there is no doubt that many lives could be saved in passenger airplane accidents if some type of parachute protection for individuals were provided. Obviously equipping and strapping a parachute upon each boarding passenger would be impractical and unworkable. In addition, this very act would create distrust and suspicion as to safety in the minds of prospective passengers and drastically reduce the number of passengers available. Since this is not practical, I have provided a construction of seat for airplanes, the seat being so constructed that a parachute and means for opening the same are assembled therein and normally concealed from view, yet so arranged that in case of disaster the seat and occupant can be pushed out of the door of the plane and the seat will float to safety.

One of the features of my invention consists in the provision in the back and arm rest portions of the chair, of a compartment for the reception of a collapsed parachute, and the further provision of a compressed air container associated therewith for inflating the same upon release of the chair.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of locking means for normally holding the chair in place, the locking means capable of manual operation to release the chair and at the same time operate valve mechanism to release compressed air to the parachute.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a ripcord attached to the parachute and slidably connected to a rail in the top of the plane leading to the door, the ripcord adapted to tear oif a covering on the seat and arm rests over the parachute compartment of the chair.

Other features of the invention will be more apparent from the following description wherein reference is had to the accompanying drawings, upon which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view showing my improved airplane chair in position in an airplane, a fragment of the airplane also being shown;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of my improved chair;

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view thereof taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2 showing the chair during a descent with the parachute open and holding the chair; and

Fig. 5 is a plan sectional view taken generally on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

In the embodiment of the invention which I have chosen to illustrate and describe the same, I have shown the 2,847,174 Patented Aug. 12, 1958 ICC 2 chair 10 positioned generally on the floor 12 of an airplane cabin, the cabin having the side wall 14 and door 16. A ripcord 18 extends from the top of the chair 10, the ripcord having a loop 20 encircling a fixed rod 22 which runs the length of the cabin of the plane and is positioned above the door 16. The chair 10 is also provided with the usual fastening straps 22 for strapping a passenger securely into the seat.

The chair 10 may be of the usual type provided with a seat 24, the side arm rests 26 and 28, and a back rest 30. The side arm rests 26 and 28 may be double-walled, each having an inner wall 26a and an outer wall 28a, and the back 30 of the chair may also be double-walled, having the inner wall 30a and the outer wall 30b, so that together with a bottom wall 24a, a U-shaped compartment 31 is formed in the back of the chair to receive a collapsed parachute P. The top of this compartment is normally covered by a cloth cover member 32 to which the ripcord 18 is also attached, so that as the chair 10 is dropped through the doorway opening 16a, the top will first be ripped off the compartment 31, and then the parachute P will be pulled out of the compartment to be expanded as the chair descends.

The chair 10 may normally be locked to the floor 12 of the airplane cabin by a pair of locking bars 40 and 42, each having end portions 40a and 42a that engage in notches 44 and 46 in block members 48 and 50 that are securely fastened to the floor.

The locking bars 40 and 42 are carried on a pivot 52 extending downwardly from the floor 54 of the chair 10, the ends of the bars 40 and 42 both having link members 56 and 58 pivotally connected to a pin 60 in the end of a pull rod 62 formed with a handle 64 extending forward from the front end of the chair 10. The rod 62 also carries a pin member 66 which actuates a valve 68 below the compressed air tank 70 to release the air therein and permit the same to flow through the air hoses 72 and 74.

Two of the air hoses 72 extend upwardly from the valve 68 and through the forward side of the chair arms 26 and 28, and the air hoses 74 are adapted to extend upwardly adjacent the back end of the compartment 31. The air hoses 72 and 74 may extend to a circular tubular ring 76 which is fastened in the parachute P adjacent the lower edge of the same, the lower edge 78 of the chute being also connected by rope members 80 to the chair 10 to hold the same during descent.

The compressed air container 70 is adapted to be placed in the forward end of the chair below the seat portion 24 and in connection with the space under the compartment 31, provides generally a buoyant base portion for the chair so that in the event the chair is dropped from a plane over a body of water, itwill float'in an upright position. V V I From the above and foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided a safety appliance in the nature of an airplane chair which is adapted to be released, and as it is dropped from the plane an individual parachute is opened and assisted in opening by the introduction of compressed air throughout a circular ring 76 about the bottom of the same so that the parachute will open much more promptly, and will quickly start slowing the descent of the chair and passenger.

It can also be seen that by the use of the container of compressed air, there is no uncertainty as to the opening of the parachute, since it will be forced open through the expanding of the ring member 76 by the introduction of compressed air therein.

It should be borne in mind that when the release handle 64 is pulled so that the chair has been disconnected from the floor and can be slid to the door 16 to be pushed out, the time elapsed is only a matter of seconds, and while the air valve 68 is opened to permit air to flow from the compressed air tank through the hoses 72 and 74 to the parachute during this period of time, the amount of air 'is not suflicient'so that the parachute will be forced through 'the cloth cover member 32 above the compartments in the back of the chair and in the arm portions thereof. The flow of air will be suflicient, however, so that when the cloth cover is ripped off the chair, as when the chair is expelled from the door, that the parachute will be ready to and will rapidly be ejected from the chair and then steadily continue to open due to the fact that there are no further obstructions in the hoses and the air will naturally flow faster when the parachute is expanded as shown in Fig. 4 than while it is still in a collapsed condition.

It is further apparent, due to the provision of a buoyant container in the bottom of the chair and the combination with a parachute, that even though the chair lands upon Water, the same will float in an upright position for an indeterminate length of time.

I contemplate that changes and modifications may be made in the exact details shown and I do not wish to be limited in any particular; rather what I desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States 1. The combination with an airplane having a cabin, a floor in said cabin, of an airplane chair releasably fastened to the floor of said cabin, said chair comprising a seat having a back and arm portions, said back and arm portions having inner and outer walls and a bottom wall to form a compartment therein, a collapsed parachute positioned in said compartment, a flexible cover for said compartment, a ripcord extending from said parachute through said cover, means normally holding said chair connected to the floor and manually operated means for releasing said chair when desired.

2. The combination with an airplane having a cabin and a floor in said cabin, of an airplane chair releasably fastened to the floor of said cabin, said chair comprising a seat having a back and arm portions, said back and arm portions having inner and outer walls and a bottom wall to form a compartment therein, a collapsed parachute positioned in said compartment, a flexible cover for said compartment, a ripcord extending from said parachute through said cover, means normally holding said chair connected to the floor and manually operated means for releasing said chair when desired, said means including pivoted locking bars in the base of said chair and fixed block members attached to the floor of said airplane, said locking bars having a handle extending forward from the front end of said chair.

3. The combination with an airplane having a cabin and a floor in said cabin, of an airplane chair releasably fastened to the floor of said cabin, said chair comprising a seat having a back and arm portions, said back and arm portions having inner and outer walls and a bottom wall to form a compartment therein, a collapsed parachute positioned in said compartment, said parachute having an inflatable tube about its lower periphery, a flexible cover for said compartment, a ripcord extending from said parachute through said cover, a tank of compressed air in the seat of said chair, tubes extending from said tank to said inflatable tube, means normally holding said chair connected to the floor and manually operated means for releasing said chair and compressed air to said inflatable tube when desired,

4. The combination with an airplane having a cabin and a floor in said cabin, of an airplane chair releasably fastened to the floor of said cabin, said chair comprising a seat having a back and arm portions, said back and arm portions having inner and outer walls and a bottom Wall to form a compartment therein, a collapsed parachute positioned in said compartment, said parachute having an inflatable tube about its lower periphery, a flexible cover for said compartment, a ripcord extending from said parachute through said cover, a tank of compressed air in the seat of said chair, tubes extending from said tank to said inflatable tube, means normally holding said chair connected to the floor and manually operated means for releasing said chair and compressed air to said inflatable tube when desired, said means including a valve on said tank, a pair of pivoted lock bars in the base of said chair, fixed block members attached to the floor of said airplane, said pair of pivoted lock bars operatively connected to said valve and having a handle extending forward from the front end of said chair.

5. The combination with an airplane having a cabin and a floor in said cabin, of an airplane chair releasably fastened to the floor of said cabin, said chair comprising a seat having a back and-arm portions, said back and arm portions having inner and outer walls and a bottom wall to form a compartment therein, a collapsed parachute positioned in said compartment, said parachute having an inflatable tube about its lower periphery, a flexible cover for said compartment, a ripcord extending from said parachute through said cover, a tank of compressed air in said chair, tubes extending from said tank to said inflatable tube, means normally holding said chair connected to the floor and manually operated means for releasing said chair and compressed air to said inflatable tube when desired, said means including a valve on said tank, a pair of pivoted lock bars in the base of said chair, fixed block members attached to the floor of said airplane, said pair of pivoted lock bars operatively connected to said valve and having a handle extending forward from the front end of said chair, said parachute having flexible cord members connected to the top of said chair.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,189,112 Howorth June 27, 1916 1,826,245 Hammerle Oct. 6, 1931 1,861,784 Brown et a1. June 7, 1932 2,390,230 Trusty Dec. 4, 1945 2,463,991 Miller Mar. 8, 1949 

